My Journey Into Photography

Over the years, I’ve tried many hobbies like woodworking, writing, motorcycle touring, and flying my own plane. But I never got into photography much. I played with it a little in high school, taking pictures of a ballet class for their parents and some shots around town. Still, I didn’t catch the photography bug. My brother, however, has been a skilled photographer for most of his life.

As I went through life, I was lucky to travel a lot, often around the U.S. at others’ expense. I usually carried a small camera but rarely used it. Taking photos just wasn’t something I thought about.

Then in 2016, I got the chance to join a college volleyball team on a European tour. We spent two weeks visiting places in Italy, Slovenia, Austria, and Czechia while the team played six matches. I couldn’t resist capturing the sights and came home with about 1,500 photos. My wife, who was with me, took another 1,500.

That's when I got hooked on photography. It was even more fun because I could compete a little with my brother.

My brother, a life-long photographer, was an inspiration for my own journey

First Steps

I already had a basic DSLR camera but hadn’t used it much. I didn’t even bring it on my European trip and took all my photos with my phone. Then, I bought a few accessories: a tripod, a flash, some filters, and a small shoulder bag.

At first, I wasn’t sure what to photograph. One day while browsing online, I found Scott Kelby, a top photography teacher with a site called KelbyOne. I signed up for a trial and started watching his video lessons.

Street Photography

Watching people has been a big part of my career. So, I was familiar with the idea. One Kelby video showed New York photographer Jay Maisel, who focuses on street photography—taking pictures of people in public, usually without them posing. Maisel calls it "capturing people being themselves." After seeing that video and two interviews with him, I decided to try it. My first attempts in downtown Louisville were nervous. Would people get upset if I took their picture? Maybe even react badly? Would I find anything interesting to shoot?

Maisel took some interesting photos of people, but could I do the same? I found out that what I was doing was legal. Courts say it’s allowed to take photos of people without their permission if you’re in a public place like a sidewalk. There are some limits, but generally, public photography is protected by the First Amendment. I’m not a lawyer, but one named Bert Krages wrote a detailed guide and a book about this. Keep in mind, laws about street photography can be different outside the U.S.

Unfounded Concerns

My fears were unnecessary. In four years of street photography, no one has been angry or violent. Once, a woman asked me not to take her picture, and I respected her wish. I could easily find others to photograph nearby.

Surprisingly, the biggest complaints came from other photographers in the clubs I joined. Many said they wouldn’t want their photo taken without permission, ignoring that we are often photographed daily by security cameras without our consent.

Over time, I became more selective about what I photographed on the street. Instead of just capturing people who seemed interesting, I focused more on color and light/shadow in my shots. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, street photography opportunities like mine mostly vanished, so I explored other types of photography. One of these was street portraits, taken with the subjects' permission, which I found very rewarding.

The Dichotomy of the Street: The sun shines on a young woman listening to her smartphone while, a few feet away in the shadows, a homeless man digs in a garbage can looking for food.

Main St - downtown Louisville

Macro Photography

Early in the COVID pandemic, I started experimenting with different types of photography, especially macro and close-up shots. One idea that caught my interest was photographing two water drops colliding. A drop falls into a pool, and a second drop hits the first as it bounces back.

This photography can be done with simple tools, but it's often random. Special devices that control the timing of drops make it easier. I bought one on sale, which helped me take some cool photos. I also explored artistic shots of oil and water mixing, plus close-ups of flowers and plants.

Stock Photography

Early on, I learned about stock photography, where photographers create images to sell on stock photo websites. When someone buys a photo, the photographer earns a small share of the sale. A single photo can sell many times.

I started with Adobe Stock because Scott Kelby recommended it, but I had few sales and many photos were rejected for unclear reasons. Then I tried Shutterstock, which gave better results, but I still faced many rejections and modest sales.

I finally decided to try Getty Images, a top stock photography site. I wasn’t sure I could compete with the more experienced photographers there, but I uploaded a few photos and was pleasantly surprised. Many images rejected by other agencies were accepted by Getty. When a photo was rejected, their feedback clearly explained how to improve it. In three years, I’ve only disagreed with Getty’s review on one image—and it wasn’t worth arguing about.

I’ve had good sales success. One photo of downtown Boise, Idaho, rejected by other agencies, became my top seller on Getty. Another photo of Churchill Downs has been used in horse racing magazines.

Now, I focus on creating images with stock sales in mind. Still, some rejected shots can work well as stock photos. When on a shoot, you take many photos, and not all look perfect or exciting at first. These can still be great for stock, so keep an open mind.

Sports Photography

I come from a sports-loving family and have been photographing my grandson in sports since early in my photography journey. Even before getting serious, I took many photos of my daughter’s and son’s sports. I also tried sports photography at the University of Louisville, taking pictures of volleyball recruits.

When COVID hit, most university photography staff were laid off. Since I offered my time and gear for free, I got to shoot tennis and volleyball games. This helped me learn how to capture fast-moving college sports.

I probably won’t get access to basketball or football games since staff photographers cover those, but I still enjoy photographing college sports that usually get less attention.

Many Directions

Photography has led me in many enjoyable ways. I've sold some photos and done paid sessions, but I still see myself as a hobbyist. I do it for fun and hope you enjoy seeing my work.

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